Selected Elements of a Safe Work Environment in Hard Coal Mines in the Polish Mining Sector

Abstract

Working in the mining industry is associated with many hazards involving various accidents at work and occupational diseases. Due to the specific nature of work performed by miners at development and working faces, the safety of their work is a significant element in the strategies of mining companies. The notion of a safe work environment in hard coal mines in the Polish mining sector is very broad. For the purposes of this article, we focus on selected elements of the work environment, such as medical examinations, occupational health and safety training, personal protective equipment, workwear, meals and drinks, occupational diseases, harmful factors, hardship allowance, and the organisational culture. This article aims to analyse the formal and legal considerations underlying selected elements of a safe work environment in hard coal mines. The analysis is extended to include surveys on employee appreciation for their work and on the need for rewarding safe work. The surveys were carried out among underground workers of two mining companies.